3 years ago
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Carlos Estevez has been present before, but he’s amended prepared this clip around.
In 2016, successful his rookie season, Estevez was the Rockies’ closer, fundamentally retired of necessity, if not desperation, for portion of the season. He saved 11 games successful 18 chances portion posting a 5.24 ERA implicit 55 innings.
Five years later, astatine property 29, the right-hander is backmost successful the ninth-inning role, astatine slightest for now. Estevez supplanted Daniel Bard, whose caller struggles prompted manager Bud Black to marque the alteration connected Friday.
Black believes that the unit of the ninth inning makes the closer’s relation a hard one. Estevez agrees, but helium thinks that the unit tin beryllium self-induced.
“The ninth, of course, is different, but it’s inactive the aforesaid shot game,” Estevez said Friday nighttime aft helium gave up a deed and a chaotic transportation earlier striking retired the broadside to unafraid Colorado’s 4-2 triumph and notch his 3rd prevention of the season.
“I deliberation sometimes that (pitchers) are the ones that alteration and we can’t fto that happen,” helium said, explicate however the ninth inning tin get wrong a pitcher’s head. “It did hap aboriginal (Friday) but aft that, I settled down and I got to wherever I wanted.”
Estevez, who’s mixing his 97-100 fastball with an effectual curveball and an progressively dependable changeup, has been connected a roll. He entered Saturday night’s crippled astatine Dodger Stadium riding an 11-game scoreless streak that was the longest of his career. Since July 6, he’s enactment up a 2.25 ERA, holding foes scoreless successful 16 of his 20 appearances portion striking retired 22 and walking six.
Friday night, helium threw a 3-2 changeup to onslaught retired Max Muncy, caught Corey Seager looking astatine a strike-three changeup and wrapped up the crippled by striking retired A.J. Pollock with a 2-2, 90 mph slider. All told, Estevez threw 9 changeups successful his 20 pitches.
Estevez said helium went dense with his changeup for 2 reasons. First, his fastball bid was not great, successful portion due to the fact that helium was amped up and overthrowing. Second, helium wanted to transverse up the Dodgers.
“Everyone knows I person a bully fastball and I person faced these guys a lot, truthful I deliberation they are alert of my fastball and they are alert of my pitches,” helium said.
While Black would person liked to spot amended fastball bid from Estevez, helium liked astir of what helium saw Friday night.
“I was precise impressed,” Black said. “I’ve said it before: wrong the division, determination are not a batch of secrets anymore. The Dodgers cognize him and cognize his stuff, truthful it’s ever a crippled of adjustments.
“I person a large woody of religion successful his changeup and truthful does Carlos, on with his slider, and evidently his high-end velocity. It was awesome to person that feel, for a (changeup), successful the astir captious of moments.”
Outfield plan. Starting near fielder Raimel Tapia, who’s been connected the injured database with a strained large toe, is scheduled to decorativeness up his Triple-A rehab duty this play and past rejoin the Rockies connected Monday arsenic they unfastened a three-game bid astatine the Texas Rangers.
That volition unit Black into a large determination due to the fact that Connor Joe has been thriving successful near tract and besides successful Tapia’s leadoff spot. Joe entered Saturday’s play slashing .320/.400/.612 with 8 location runs, six doubles and 27 RBIs successful 30 games since his callback from Triple-A connected July 20.
“It’s thing we’ve talked astir erstwhile ‘Tap’ does return,” Black said. “They could some inactive play, with the American League games coming up with the (designated hitter) connected Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.
“But Tapia has a batch of acquisition successful halfway fielder arsenic well. He was a minor-league halfway fielder and has played immoderate halfway tract with us. It astir apt gives america our champion violative outfield, if Tapia is swinging the bat similar helium can, and Connor continues to plaything that bat similar helium can, and Charlie (Blackmon) continues his second-half surge …”
Black added the unit volition sermon whether to deed Tapia successful the leadoff presumption erstwhile helium returns oregon instrumentality with Joe successful that spot.
On Deck
Rockies RHP Antonio Senzatela (2-9, 4.42 ERA) astatine Dodgers TBA
2:10 p.m. Sunday, Dodger Stadium
TV: AT&T SportsNet
Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM
Senzatela is coming disconnected a beardown commencement astatine Chicago, adjacent though the Rockies yet lost, 6-4, to the Cubs. The right-hander allowed 1 tally connected 5 hits implicit six innings, striking retired six and walking two. Since coming disconnected the COVID injured list, Senzatela is 0-1 with a 3.80 ERA successful 4 starts. He’s inactive searching for his archetypal roadworthy triumph of the season. He’s 0-6 with a 5.24 ERA distant from Coors Field (the nine is 0-9 successful his roadworthy starts). Senzatela has not performed good against the Dodgers, going 0-2 with a 16.50 ERA this play and is 3-5 with a 7.08 ERA successful his vocation against them.
Trending: Entering Saturday night’s game, the Rockies were 42-24 erstwhile they scored archetypal successful a ballgame.
At issue: Shortstop Trevor Story was backmost successful the starting lineup Saturday nighttime aft missing 2 games due to the fact that of a limb injury. Story is trying to flight a slump. In his erstwhile 5 games, helium was 0-for-17.
Pitching probables:
Monday: Rockies RHP German Marquez (11-9, 4.02) astatine Rangers TBA, 6:05 p.m., ATTRM
Tuesday: Rockies LHP Austin Gomber (9-8, 4.38) astatine Rangers TBA, 6:05 p.m., ATTRM
Wednesday: Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (5-6. 4.17) astatine Rangers RHP Jordan Lyles (6-11, 5.70), 12:05 p.m., ATTRM
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